Cooling system for internal-combustion engines



J. C. ARMSTRONG.

COOLING SYSTEM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED FF'i. 3.1920.

jL94L32y51 Patented Oct. I7, 11922.,v

2 SHEETS--SHEET I.

J. C. ARMSTRONG.

COOLING SYSTEM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLscATloN FILED FEB.3.1920.

1.482.518. Patented 00E. 17, 11922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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- ,application mea -iiebrary i To allwlwmz't may concern." 7 y Be it'known that l, JAMnsGARMsrRoNG,

a citizen of the United States of America, anda resident of Beloit, county y,oflto'ckf and State of Wisconsin, have'invented 'cer' tain new and useful Improvements inI Cooling Systems kfor Internal-Combustion-Enf gines, of which the following is a specification.

rlhis invention relates to internalV combustion engines, andespecially to cooling means therefor. Various means have heretofore been employed to cool engines of lthis' character, including water jackets connected either to open tanks or to water mains, and also various forms of air cooled water ra,-

diators.

The main objects of this invention are to provide means of improved form and greater eiiciency for cooling the cylinders of internal combustion -engines; to provide for Water jacket protection of the combustiop cylinders without the loss of water and consequent need of replenishment; to provide for positive condensation of all vapor and steam generated by the heat transmitted to the water and for the immediate return of theIl water of condensation to the tank or jacket; and to provide for air-cooling of the condensation chamber used in connecn tion with the water jacket'and tank; to

maintain a constant temperature of the engine cylinder walls during operation, to protect the radiator from freezing and damage, and to obviate the use of a circulating ump.

An illustrative embodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in whicl1 Fig. 1 is a vertical section along the axis of the engine cylinder, as at 1-1 on Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section along the axis of the fan and crank shaft, as at 2-2 on Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view showing a front elevation of the fan and associated parts.

Fig. l4 is a side view of the jacket tank showing the water gage.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of' a vertical section at the line 5-5 ofFig. 4.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary section of the condenser at 6-6 on Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is an enlar ed fragmentary elevation view of the cone'nser as seen in Fig. 1.

e, ieee; serial nefasaoaa Fig. 8 is a horizontal section through part of thejcondenser plates at line 8 on Fig. 7. l Fig'.y A9lisa plan of part of a stamped condenser-plate' ready for assembling with others. Y j i ln the construction shown in the draw-v ings, the engine frame 1 is .provided with vangintern'al com'bustionfcy'linder 2, a water jacket 3 surroundin said cylinder, and a reservoir or tank 4 directly above and communicating With said jacket.

t Mounted on said frame 1 is yan air-cooled condenser or radiator 5 in the form@ of a multi-perforated steam condenser. There is also a fan 6 provided with an air flue 7 communicating with saidv radiator. Said fan is concentric with the crank shaft 8 and is supported thereon, as will be more fully described, by means of the pulley or iy wheel 9 which is keyed to the end of said shaft, as indicated at 8 on Fig. 3. A fly wheel 10 is mounted on the opposite end of said shaft from said pulley.

rThe jacket chamber 3, atits upper side, communicates directly withv the interior of tank 4, as shown at the point 11 on Fig. 1. Extending from the upper part of the chamber 4 in said tank is a horizontal steam passageway 12 leading forward to a point over the crank Shaft 8 and turning upward to communicate with the radiator 5.

A water supply inlet is provided at 13 on the upper side of the tank 4 and suficient water is supplied initially to about half fill the chamber 4', the normal level bein indicated at the line 14 on Fig. 1.

tion strikes such a balance with evaporation that there is no leakage of steam from the device, as will be more fully explained. .95

Hence, the water level remains substantially constantwithout any attention from the person in charge of the engine, but in order to provide a ready means to indicate the height of the water in the tank, a water gage 15I is provided in a recess in the side of the tank, the wall being depressed at this point, as shown at 15', and the gage being disposed in alinement with the aperture at 13, as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5.

rlhe radiator 5 comprises a rectangular frame 16 formed nearly square and stood on edge, the radiator being relativel thin from front toback. Enclosedb sai frame is a multiperfor'ate` body part 1 adapted to transmitt-he air from said flue 7 at'the right of Fig. 2 to the back or discharge side at the left. 'Said body part 1T is substantially a laminated structure, including a series of thin corrugated or stamped metal sheets 18 connected in pairs and arranged to form vertical passageways 19 of a broad and thm wavy shape for the steam and water of condensation. and also to form horizontal iues 20 for the fan driven air. Each sheet includes a series of parallel strips or zones 21, which are substantially flat, interposed with the corrugations or ribs 22 in the form of semicylindrical grooves disposed horizontally. The corrugations of 011e pair 23 of plates are staggered with respect to those of the next adjacent pair 2-1, as shown 1n Figs. ti and T, so that the aperture 19 may be of approximately uniform thickness. The vertical edges of the plates of each pair are fastened fluid-tirht to the contiguous edges of the plates of the adjacent pairs, as at 22 on Figs. b and 9, solder being suitable for the purpose.

The precise shape or size of the resulting tubular apertures 20 is not important, but it is essential for the intended normal operation of theradiator that the steam spaces 19 between plate pairs 23 and 2st shall be so small as to permit effective operation of water surface tension so as to provide suiiicient capillary effect to maintain a film or substantial wall of water across the vertical passageway, so as to prevent the free escape of steam. Under normal operating conditions, the passages 19 are substantially filled with water for a considerable height,

and it is found by pressure gage tests that, by reason of this water head or plug in the steam apertures 19,y there is normally maintained in the tank 1 a snflicient pressure to produce a gage reading of approximately one-half pound per square inch. The water head or level in the condenser is indicated at 19 on Fig. l.I

ln order to accommodate the release of any possible excess of pressure in the radiator, as in case of a continued overload, or failure of the fan, a vent aperture 25 is provided in the top, as shown in Fig. 1. The top part or cover 26 of the condenser device, is preferably detachable and adapted for ready removal if desired. A clearance space 2T is provided beneath said cover. The reason for the advanced position of the condenser 5 directly over the crank shaft and in the vertical plane of the fan axis, is to provide a most direct line of draft upward and backward from the fan to the condenser.

The fan 6 comprises a back plate or disk 28 having a peripheral series of radially disposed vanes 29 on its front side and pei'- pendicular thereto. Said plate 28 is secured to the back side ofthe pulley 9 by means of arms or brackets 3() fastened to the arms 9 of the open spider of said pulley. An aperture 31 .is provided in the` middle of said plate 28 so as to clear the adjacent journal bearing 32 of shaft 8. The vanes 29 are triangular and diminish in size toward the center of disk 28. Each vane is secured by means of ein upturned flange 33 disposed against the face of said plate. The main features of this fan are set forth and claimed in my copending application Serial No. 356,086, filed of even date herewith.

The walls 34 and 35 of flue 7 are formed to provide a smoothly curved direct path to the condenser 5. The front wall 34 is apertured at 36 to admit air to the fan. The rear wall 35 has an aperture to provide clearance respecting bearing 32.

In the embodiment here shown, the engine frame 1 is adapted to rest on the floor or on a permanent foundation, as maybe required for large units, as will be understood without specific illustration. It is not intended to imply, however, that this invention is limited to such units or to engines having this style of frame or means of support.

The arrangement of the radiator and inherent drainage thereof results in protection from freezing and damage by collision, less cost` less weight. The use of fan on the crank shaft does away with fan belt and bearing maintenance cost and unreliability. A controllable source of heat for closed cars is furnished b the hot air discharged from the fan. Satis actory operation resulting from this device of the automobile and trucks and tractors and farm engines Will increase their 'use during winter months.

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention has been herein shown and described, it will be understood that numerous details of the construction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the Spirit of this invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. In combination, a source of heat, a water jacket therefor, a reservoir disposed above and communicating with said water jacket, and a condenser disposed to drain into said reservoir and communicating up- Wardly With the atmosphere.

2. In combination, a source of heat, a water jacket therefor, a reservoir disposed above and comunicating with said water jacket, an air cooled atmospheric-pressure steam condensing radiator having narrow passage-ways adapted for closure by operation of the surface tension of Water and disposed to drain into said reservoir and communicating upwardly with the air.

3. In combination, an internal combustion chamber a Water jacket therefor and a condenser disposed above and communicating messie with said water jacket said condenser having alternately disposed air passages and capillary apertures the latter being for steam and water of condensation.

4. In combination, an internal combustion chamber a water jacket therefor, a condenser disposed above and communicating with said water jacket, said condenser having alter# nately disposed air passages and capillary apertures, the latter being for steam and Water of condensation, and means to drive a blast of air through said air passages.

5. In combination, a source of heat, a water jacket therefor, and a condenser communicating therewith, said condenser in-i cludinv a plurality of capillar apertures of upwartdly extending wavy c aracter with interposed horizontal air passages in staggered mutual relation.

6. ln combination, an internal combustion chamber, a water jacket therefor, and a condenser disposed above and communicating with said water jacket, said condenser having alternately disposed air passages and capillary apertures, the latter being for steam and water of condensation, and said condenser comprisin a plurality of thin metallic sheets enclosmg said capillary apertures which open downwardly into said steam jacket and which open upwardly to the atmosphere.

7. An internal combustion engine, provided with a water jacket for cooling the cylinder, and a condenser disposed above and communicating with said jacket, said condenser being provided with a plurality of upwardly extending' narrow passageways communicating with the atmosphere, said passageways being formed and arranged to drain any surplus of the condensed fluid back into the water jacket and also to retain more or less of the water of condensation by virtue csf capillarity, whereby a substant'a-l pressurejmay be maintained within said devlce.

8. An internal combustion engine provided with a Water jacket for the cylinder and a condenser disposed above and com municating with said water jacket, said condenser including a plurality of upwardly eX- tendin passageways wherein the steam may be con ensedand held by surface tension and capillarity, the upper ends of said passageways being open to the atmosphere.

9. An internal combustion engine having a horizontally disposed cylinder, a water jacket therefor, a crank shaft, a condenser disposed over said crank shaft, a passage- Wayway extending upwardly and forwardly from said water jacket to said condenser, a fan coaxial with and carriedy by said crank shaft, and a guide flue leading upward and backward from said fan to said condenser.

Signed at Chicago this 24 day of dan.,

JAMES C. ARMSTRONG. 

